Montsokar Union
The Montsokar Union is the ruling body of the south-west region of the Old Empire, specifically in the Sother Mountains. It is ruled by the Strio, a triumvirate elected by popular vote from the noble leaders of the nine tribes. History Long before the Empire existed, the Sother Mountains were home to a collection of many tribes that fought each other for control of the precious ore veins that cascaded throughout the mountains' cores. It's said some were born in the mountains, others migrated from the south to take shelter from the harsh climate, and a few who sailed to the region after being pushed there by the more organized peoples in the North. Outside of their own conflicts, the tribes had to deal with raids from the sea to the North and West as well as from the lands to the East. While they had usually been small, there was a huge invasion from the sea that led the tribes to unite. Afterward, the surviving leaders of the tribes came together in the Council of Sother and agreed to remain organized. A triumvirate was formed through a popular vote of the tribal leaders. These three were responsible for making broad-sweeping decisions and generally stayed out of minor issues, leaving them to the tribal leaders to handle. After peace was restored, the new Montsokar Union or “the Union” kept to itself. There was very little trade due to fear that any prolonged contact with the outside world would lead to more invasions. Instead, the tribes did what they had been doing for years, mining, farming, and fighting. These isolationist policies led to many of the tribes not having enough food to feed their people. Despite efforts by the triumvirate to rectify food shortages, the tribes slowly but surely began to fight each other. When one of the three rulers was killed in a riot, civil war erupted. It lasted only a year but was bloody with both sides knowing the fighting styles and tactics of their enemy. In the Battle of Boulders, there was a great avalanche from the mountainside on which the two factions fought. None of the commanders survived. In the aftermath, the remaining tribes stepping forward and agreed to end the fighting as well as breaking their period of isolation. The newly elected triumvirate agreed on fundamental truths regarding the well-being of the Union: it required looking outside their own borders and complete unity and cooperation from those within it. to focus on trade but met with struggles from more military-minded people status of relative peace but… Government and Politics * Triumvirate formed through a popular election (Sword, Scales, Sickle) * Sother Council - collection of representatives from the 9 tribes, 3 each who run day to operations around the Union ** Requavor Tribe ** Ushola Tribe ** Lombardum Tribe ** Tunnor Tribe ** Wacholovia Tribe ** Ary Tribe ** Huxel Tribe ** Cronwin Tribe ** Yligath Tribe Geography and Climate * Mountain areas are Mojave Desert climate * Cove is temperate but stormy * Coastal and border areas are less stormy Culture and Religion * There is a general culture from those throughout the Union as well as certain nuances depending on where in the Union they are. * The Montsokor believe in the Great Mover. It is not a person but a power. The GM did not create the world but formed it into what it is today. There are certain rituals done by the followers to offer their respect and remind themselves of its teachings but they do not believe the GM to bother to intervene in any meaningful capacity anymore. ** However, there are some who disagree and claim that such belief does not give enough credit to themselves. That any power would surely watch over that which it influences and demands more significant rituals Economy * Heavily reliant on their minerals, metals, and goods produced from both * Produce their own food but without imports, they struggle to make enough for everyone * Single currency but bartering is very popular among certain tribes Military * A defensive-minded people, the Montsokor prefer to fight on their terrain and on their terms. Without any real supply of cavalry, the few incursions into other realms have been slow and arduous without much reward. * All children are taught tactics at a young age with games. Once they reach 8, boys are trained in weapons of the Mountain (hammers, axes, swords) and girls are trained in Weapons of the Fields (spears, daggers, archery). At 16, those who choose to continue their military training in lieu of another profession must find a Master to fall under. Most tribal leaders are Masters, explaining how they're able to maintain their own power.